Home building is long known for being a very male-dominated industry, but my guest today, Sheryl Palmer is the only female CEO in the Top 20 home builders rated by Glassdoor.

Sheryl is the chairman and CEO of Taylor Morrison, a leading national home builder and developer based in Scottsdale, Arizona. With more than 30 years of building experience, she has led Taylor Morrison into the top ranks of America’s largest public home builders. Under Sheryl’s leadership, Taylor Morrison recently became the first home builder to appoint a majority female board of directors.

My guest today, Mikaila Ulmer, is probably one of the youngest entrepreneurs you’ve ever heard of. When she was just four years old, she was stung not once, but twice, in one week. What happened after the bee sting is nothing short of miraculous.

Mikaila’s parents were determined to take this bee sting experience and turn it into a positive, so they encouraged Mikaila to do some research on bees. And rest, as they say, is history.

Armed with her Great Granny Helen’s lemonade recipe, this 13 year-old CEO (yes, she’s 13) has taken the lemonade world by storm.

This year alone, Me & The Bees Lemonade, has sold over 360,000 bottles of their four flavors of lemonade in 28 states.

She’s been on Shark Tank and is a regular texting friend of Daymond John. Her advice is powerful and timely and I promise, you will forget that you’re listening to a 13 year-old. Her words of advice are simple, yet spot on for what it takes to succeed in today’s market.

I’ve been secretly ‘stalking’ Janice Bryant Howroyd, Founder & CEO of The Act One Group, for nearly 30 years. Back in the early days of my first business, I wanted to make an extra $500 per month in order to ask my roommate to move out of the loft (true story), so I went on a search for success stories of entrepreneurial women. Janice Bryant Howroyd’s name kept coming up everywhere I looked. Janice took $900 from her mom and turned what is now known as The Act One Group into a billion-dollar company.

“JBH” as she likes to be called, is #39 on the Forbes list of “America’s Richest Self-Made Women,” and in 2014 she was recognized by Black Enterprise as the first black woman to own and operate a billion-dollar company.

Along with several other incredible accolades, JBH received a special invitation from President Barack Obama to be a member of the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Never compromise yourself personally for who you wish to be professionally.” – Janice Bryant Howroyd

Show Notes:

What happened when Janice “looked after the office” for her brother-in-law while he was away

Her creative strategy when she first started out (hear how operating her business in a rug shop was a GENIUS idea)

The moment she recognized she was on to something (oh the joys of a phone and fax machine!)

How just one conversation with a mentor truly EXPANDED her vision and a life-long seed was planted (that one conversation lead to millions in growth over the years)

How being 1 of 11 children shaped her life and business

Her BEST Productivity Tip

What she considers to be her SUPERPOWER

What it was like to receive an honored invitation from Barack Obama

The CLASSIC Mistake she sees Women Entrepreneurs making today

The SECRET to a long, healthy, marriage

and much, much more!

I learned more from my mom and dad, growing up in their home, than I did from any institutions, and I’ve had the advantage of some really incredible opportunities academically.” – Janice Bryant Howroyd

Strategy & Consulting

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